Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Wanaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Wanaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,850 in Dunedin versus $1,863 in Wanaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,791 in Dunedin versus $2,921 in Wanaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Dunedin versus $3,979 in Wanaka.

Living in Dunedin costs roughly 1% less than in Wanaka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 38% above, Wanaka 39% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 NZ$20.42

$11.88 NZ$20.31

0.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 NZ$124

$60.4 NZ$103

19.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 NZ$18.21

$9.29 NZ$15.88

14.64%

Cappuccino

$3.40 NZ$5.81

$3.17 NZ$5.42

7.26%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 NZ$3.89

$1.75 NZ$2.99

29.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NZ$3.47

$1.96 NZ$3.35

3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 NZ$12.21

$7.30 NZ$12.48

-2.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 NZ$10.39

$6.05 NZ$10.35

0.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 NZ$3.60

$2.19 NZ$3.75

-4.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 NZ$3.27

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.10

$1.91 NZ$3.27

-4.71%

Eggs

$5.52 NZ$9.44

$5.54 NZ$9.48

-0.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.41 NZ$14.39

$8.51 NZ$14.55

-1.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.82 NZ$18.50

$10.69 NZ$18.28

1.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.21 NZ$22.59

$13.00 NZ$22.24

1.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 NZ$4.90

$2.92 NZ$5.00

-1.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 NZ$3.89

$2.29 NZ$3.91

-0.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 NZ$5.85

$3.34 NZ$5.72

2.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 NZ$7.60

$4.54 NZ$7.76

-2.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

$1.91 NZ$3.27

3.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.37

$2.08 NZ$3.56

-5.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 NZ$4.34

$2.55 NZ$4.36

-0.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NZ$1.82

$1.12 NZ$1.91

-4.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.35 NZ$41.64

$23.89 NZ$40.86

1.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 NZ$16.00

$9.09 NZ$15.54

2.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 NZ$4.24

$2.52 NZ$4.30

-1.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 NZ$6.37

$3.72 NZ$6.36

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 NZ$2.03

$2.17 NZ$3.71

-45.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.0 NZ$123

$63.0 NZ$108

14.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 NZ$10.02

$2.79 NZ$4.77

110.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 NZ$1.90

$1.14 NZ$1.94

-2.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 NZ$51.7

$29.65 NZ$50.7

1.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.92

$1.74 NZ$2.97

-1.72%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.9K NZ$34.1K

$20.1K NZ$34.4K

-0.95%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.8K NZ$44.1K

$25.2K NZ$43.1K

2.32%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$102 NZ$175

$100 NZ$172

1.96%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$36.18 NZ$61.9

$35.91 NZ$61.4

0.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 NZ$94.0

$55.0 NZ$94.1

-0.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 NZ$90.0

$41.45 NZ$70.9

26.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.15 NZ$10.52

$12.26 NZ$20.97

-49.84%

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 NZ$16.52

$9.61 NZ$16.43

0.52%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$587 NZ$1,004

$580 NZ$992

1.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NZ$20.9K

$12.0K NZ$20.6K

1.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 NZ$113

$66.1 NZ$113

-0.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 NZ$59.6

$34.92 NZ$59.7

-0.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 NZ$161

$73.1 NZ$125

29.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NZ$212

$76.9 NZ$132

61.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 NZ$1,501

$1,038 NZ$1,776

-15.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 NZ$1,332

$850 NZ$1,453

-8.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 NZ$2,581

$1,980 NZ$3,386

-23.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 NZ$2,258

$1,758 NZ$3,006

-24.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,959 NZ$5,061

$4,721 NZ$8,072

-37.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,063 NZ$3,528

$3,835 NZ$6,559

-46.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,561 NZ$4,380

$4,532 NZ$7,750

-43.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

76.75%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Dunedin: April 28, 2026

Last update for Wanaka: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $878 in Dunedin and $1,038 in Wanaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wanaka pays 77% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $72.0 in Dunedin vs $60.0 in Wanaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $324 vs $325, with Dunedin cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Dunedin vs Wanaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Wanaka differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,850 vs $1,863 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Wanaka earns 77% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $878 in Dunedin versus $1,038 in Wanaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dunedin runs roughly 14% less than in Wanaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $587 in Dunedin versus $580 in Wanaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,850 in Dunedin versus $1,863 in Wanaka, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Wanaka. The gap between the two cities makes Dunedin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Dunedin and Wanaka are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dunedin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Wanaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.